Automatic drop-door rigging.



G. G. T. WILLSON.

AUTOMATIC DROP DOOR. RIGGING.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 15, 1912.

Patented Dec. 9, 1913.

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CHARLES C. 'I. EVILLSON, 0F ALTOQNA, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC DROP-D663 RIGGING.

Application filed July 15, 1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES C. T. Wnmson, a citizen of the United States, residing at Altoona, in the county of Blair, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Drop-Door Riggings; and 1 do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in dumping cars, and particularly to the hop per bottom cars.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a simple device for opening and closing the doors at the bottom of the hopper in a quick and eiiicient manner.

Another object is to provide a device of this character so that the doors on the opposite sides of the car may be operated independently of each other.

A still further object is to provide a device of this character which is positive in its action, and which will operate without buckling.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description and with particular reference to the accompanying drawings:

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through a hopper bottom car showing my device applied, the doors of the hopper being closed, parts of the car being broken away, Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the car, Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the device, showing fragments of the doors attached thereto and in open position, Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 1.

Referring particularly to the drawings, 10 represents the middle double inclined portion of the hopper bottom of a coal car, while 11 represents the inclined bottoms of the ends of the car. Hinged to the lower ends of the double inclined portion of the bottom of the car are the doors 12, said doors being mounted to swing outwardly as clearly shown. Disposed below the portion 10 is a head 13, to the opposite sides of which are pivotally connected the links 14, and pivotally connected to the outer ends of the links 14 are the foot plates 15. These foot plates are riveted to brackets 16 on the outer faces of the doors 12. Forming a part Specification of Letters ?atent.

PatentedDee. 9,1913.

Serial 1%. 709,600.

of the head 13, and extending vertically through a slotted bracket 17 is an operating stem 18, which when moved up and down carries the head 13 with it, and causes the arms 14 to move from an approximately vertical position to an approximately horizontal position. The upper end of the stem 18 has a laterally curved portion 19 through which extends a pin or bolt 20, the purpose of which will appear later. Journaled in the brackets 21 and 22 are the sect-ions 23 and 24 of the operating shaft 25, said shaft extending centrally across the car, as shown.

As clearly shown in the drawing, the parts above described are duplicated on the other side of the car so that one side of the car may be emptied independent of each other, the car being provided with four of the doors 12. Each of the sections 23 and 24 has a squared portion 26 which is disposed through a similarly formed opening 27 in a member 28, this member having a longitudinal series of these openings for purposes of adjustment. in one end of each of the members 28 is formed an arcuate slot 29 which receives the pin 20 therethrough. On the lower portion of the stem 18 is a laterally extending pin 30 for engagement by a hook 31 mounted on the lower end of the member 28, to hold the said member against the stem 18. On the outer end of each of the sections 23 and 24 is a ratchet wheel 32, and a squared end 33 for engagement of a crank handle to rotate the shaft, the pawls 34- being mounted on the sides of the car and adapted to engage the ratchet wheels. The section 23 of the shaft 25 has an angular socket 35 in one end which is adapted to receive the angular reduced end 36 of the section 24, so that when the parts are in engagement, the sections may be rotated as a single shaft, to operate both of the door opening devices simultaneously. The section 24 of the shaft is slidably mounted in the bracket bearings 22, and is adapted to be shifted into and out of engagement with the section 23 by means of a lever 40.

When it is desired to dump both sides of the car, at once, the sections of the shaft are brought into engagement with each other. Rotation of either of the crank handles will cause a similar movement of the shaft, the hooks 31, of course, being first released. As the shaft rotates, the slotted end of the member 28 will bear downwardly on the stem 18, and, depressing the head 13 draws the links 14 to an approximately vertical position, bringing the doors into open position. At the same time that the stem moves downwardly, it is pushed laterally by the slotted end of the member 28, and bein rigidly secured to the slotted bracket 1? tilts said bracket also, and when the shaft has rotated to such a point that the member 28 has moved above a horizontal position, the stem and the head will fall, due to the sliding connection between the stem and member 28, thus producing a lost motion so that the weight of the coal can push the doors open without resistance. To close the doors a reverse rotation of the shaft will draw up wardly on the stems 18 of the door operating devices and close the doors.

The provision of the pin and slot connections between the stems and members 28 makes the device quick and positive in its action. Furthermore, the divided shaft makes it possible to dump a portion of the load, whereby the inconvenience of blocking the movement of the car is obviated.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device for operating the doors of hopper bottom cars, vertically and laterally moving stems, heads carried by the lower ends of the stems, pivotal connections be tween the heads and doors, a transverse shaft mounted in the car, members mounted on the shaft and having pivotal and slidable connections with the stems and means carried by the members for engagement with means on the stems for holding said members and stems against movement.

2. In a door operating device for hopper bottom cars, a sectional shaft mounted transversely in the car, an elongated and bifurcated member mounted on each of the sections and rotatable therewith, vertically moving oper-- ating stems carrying transverse pins in their upper ends, the furcations of each of the elongated members being provided with arcuate slots for the reception of one of the pins, a head on the lower end of each of the stems, a link pivotally connected to each of the heads and to the doors, means for moving one of the shaft sections out of engagement with the other, means for rotating the shaft and means carried by the elongated members for holding them in engagement with the stems.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES C. T. NELSON.

lVitnesses HARRY M. TEST, FRANCIS BOYLE.

Copies 01 this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington. D. C. 

